Most of us will never have to deal with such a daunting task. Nonetheless, figuring out where and how best to hang a piece of art can be a bit of a challenge. There are both practical and aesthetic considerations, such as how high on the wall to mount it; how to group pieces to inspired effect; and, most importantly, how to install framed work safely so it won't come crashing down on your head.

It's really not all that difficult, Foerster said. All you need is a pencil, a hammer, a level, tape measure, picture hangers and a little patience.

Many options are available for hanging frames. A wire strung between two eyehooks is the most typical, but Foerster prefers using D-rings, metal rings shaped like a capital D placed on either side of the frame.

“It's just secured to the wall better, and if someone bumped into it a little bit, it wouldn't come out of level,” he said. “If it's just hanging on a single nail on a wire, it's going to swing one way or the other, and it's not going to be straight anymore.”

A potential pitfall: uneven D-rings. Be sure to check that the rings are level with each other, or your carefully mounted artwork will be off kilter.

If the frame is already equipped with a hanging wire, use two picture hangers — one placed at either end — instead of one in the middle to increase stability.

Hobby shops and home improvement stores offer a variety of picture hangers rated by weight. If the artwork weighs 50 pounds, Foerster recommends using a pair of 50-pound hangers rather than two 25-pounders.

While Foerster swears by D-rings, not everyone is keen on them.

“They are sturdy and they work well, but personally they drive me crazy,” said Susan Oliver Heard, owner of Cinnabar, a gallery in the Blue Star Arts Complex.

Heard, who keeps a salon in her gallery where she can sit and chat with clients, prefers more forgiving systems, such as wooden or metal hanging cleats or brackets. Composed of two interlocking pieces — one fastened to the back of the frame and one affixed to the wall — cleats allow for easy adjustments and removal.

A pair of screws and drywall anchors will also do the trick, said Heard, who keeps a cordless drill handy along with the rest of her tools. “Or you can try to find the studs, but you know half the time where I want to put things is not where the stud is anyway.”

Now that the how is out of the way, there is the question of where. The rule of thumb for museums and galleries is to hang artworks so the center of the piece is at eye level for a person of average height, or 58 to 60 inches from the floor. If you are hanging one piece above another, treat them as one piece, taking the gap in between them into account.

Of course, unobstructed walls are a luxury in homes. There will be tables, sofas and lamps to consider. In this case, use common sense and adjust height accordingly.

“You don't want to hang something behind your dining room table that your guests are going to bump their heads into every time they sit down,” Foerster said.

Once you've found the perfect spot, use a pencil to lightly mark where the hardware will be installed on the wall. Use a level to help keep things straight.

Once you've decided how to install a piece of artwork, all you have to do is decide where you want it. Here Heard has a crucial piece of advice: relax.

“I think sometimes people overthink it,” said Heard, who worked as an arts consultant for many years. “Sometimes people try to build their whole room around a painting or a tapestry or whatever it is. It's not the end of the world to cycle things.”

A painting that has become wearisome in the living room after six months may give new life to the kitchen or vice versa.

Both Heard and artist Franco Mondini-Ruiz recommend putting works in storage periodically and pulling out others to refresh a space.

Mondini-Ruiz, whose work has been featured in the Whitney Biennial and is part of the Smithsonian's permanent collection, lives on the West Side in a home resplendent with art. He is as much a rule-breaker when it comes to placing art as he is when making it.

“One thing I've learned living in small spaces is something that seems illogical, but if you put a huge painting in a small room, it will make your room look huge, so think drama.” Mondini-Ruiz said. “It's OK if your couch or a lamp hides part of the piece.”

In Mondini-Ruiz's home, you'll find art hanging in unexpected places, for example on closet doors. He also likes to create “still lifes” by combining artworks with everyday objects in small tabletop displays.

“A piece doesn't have to be hung,” he said. “A piece can just be put on a shelf or included as a vignette within a bookshelf. That's one of the tricks I do. I have a small painting on a bookshelf, then I have books on either side of it.”

As for grouping artwork of different styles and sizes, “there's a million ways to do it,” Foerster said.

He recommends picking a spacing between the frames and laying them out on the floor to find a pleasing arrangement. Another way to experiment with layout is to create a mock-up of the arrangement with pieces cut from paper. You can tape the individual cut-outs to the wall and rearrange them easily.

And, if all else fails, call a professional. Galleries frequently provide installation services or referrals to professional installers.